Mewing Boxes
by Merciful Heavens
Summary: Lord Voldemort himself would not have been able to change his mind; destiny had intervened by the pathetic rumble of the kitten's natural charm.


Mewing Boxes

Albus Dumbledore hummed softly to himself as he strolled down a rather deserted street in the middle of a muggle town. He had just returned from a muggle candy shop bearing a rather large bag of assorted candies, including sherbet lemons, and now found himself enjoying a beautiful morning.

Suddenly there was a shriek from the inside of a house and a little blob of fur darted out of the front door, ploughing straight into Albus. The bag he was carrying dropped as the creature sunk its needle teeth into Albus' leg and he screamed in agony. Reaching down, Albus covered his bitten leg with a hand and gently picked up the shaking kitten.

Another shriek erupted from the house and Albus watched, amazed as two little girls ran out of the door to chase a poor cat down the road. Brutality in any form pained Albus and he hugged the little kitten tenderly against his chest.

The kitten was black, with a dot of white in the middle of her little forehead and two emerald eyes that reminded him instantly of a certain Transfiguration Mistress. As soon as the little darling began to purr under his soothing affections, there was no way Albus could abandon the cat. Lord Voldemort himself would not have been able to change his mind; destiny had intervened by the pathetic rumble of the kitten's natural charm.

Albus smiled happily as he returned home to Hogwarts. Going straight to his room, candy still forgotten in that street, he bathed the kitten, who protested loudly, and dried her carefully with several warm towels.

Using a bit of magic and a piece of red ribbon, Albus positioned a lovely Gryffindor bow on the kitten's neck; loose enough to be comfortable and charmed-weightless for the kitten's balance. Several cans of sardines later, the kitten was tucked into a little box with several air holes punched into it and was labelled: "For Minerva".

Albus could barely contain himself as he set the mewing box down in front of his deputy's door, knocked and dashed away to hide behind the corner. Childish, but forever caring, he peered out anxious to see Minerva's expression.

The door opened cautiously, as Minerva had once had a love sick herd of conjured penguins attack her, courtesy of the Weasley Twins.

Albus began to breath heavily as she stooped to examine the box. Too many years of teaching had forced her to examine any gift, especially an anonymously given one, with great care. Finally she opened the top and chuckled softly as the little kitten stuck her little paw up into the air.

"Where did you come from, wee one?" she asked softly, pulling the kitten out of the box. It mewed and batted at a finger she wiggled in front of its face. Albus thought she looked radiant, smiling with the kitten nestled in her lap.

"I'll call you Sherbet." she commented as the kitten yawned. Her tiny little teeth were exposed momentarily in all their youthful glory before she tucked them away and closed her eyes. Looking down at the falling asleep fluff ball, Minerva sighed. "That white fur looks like Albus' favourite candy." She paused momentarily and then continued. "He greatly enjoys sweets and I'm sure you'd like him. Everyone does. He is kind and so very caring."

Albus felt his cheeks go red as he listened to Minerva talk to the kitten. He had not been expecting this and turned to leave. But Minerva's next words froze him where he stood.

"But what I love most about him is that he cares so much about others." As she said these words, those emerald green eyes locked onto a set of twinkling blue ones and silently beckoned their owner to come forward.

"You like the gift?" Albus whispered, hoping not to waken the kitten. She nodded.

"But what I like most is that you gave her to me." His delight was only topped by the exhilaration that followed when she kissed him gently on the lips.

Sherbet dreamily lifted her head and yawned once more before settling back into the woman's lap. Although the man had a particular bird smell to him, the woman was a cat through and through.

The End


End file.
